Sugiuchi, a computer technology teacher at Chase Street Elementary, said the balloon was expected to rise nearly 100,000 feet above the Earth before popping and beginning its parachute-assisted descent later that evening. Attached to the balloon was a triangular bamboo structure that contained a GPS tracking device, two high-definition video cameras and various other measurement tools to record the balloon’s near-space journey.

“At that height, the cameras should be able to capture the curvature of the earth,” said Sugiuchi.

Students counted down in unison from 10 as Sugiuchi carefully reeled the large balloon into the air with a fishing rod. He released the balloon from the rod amid cheers from the onlookers. Students shouted, “Chase in space” as the device gracefully floated higher.

The engineering club spent nearly four months preparing the weather balloon and bamboo apparatus with assistance from Sugiuchi’s father, Howard Sugiuchi, a retired engineer, and Chris Sugiuchi’s 11-year-old son, Harvey.

According to Howard, they also created and attached a Radar reflector in order to alert aircraft to the balloon upon suggestion from the Federal Aviation Administration.

“Everything is in compliance with FAA regulations,” he said. “They actually sent us an e-mail wishing us good luck.”

The project was funded by a small Parent-Teacher Organization grant and private donations. The two large helium tanks used to inflate the weather balloon were the most expensive element of the engineering club’s endeavor, Sugiuchi said.

The balloon would most likely land 40 to 60 miles from the school about 6 p.m. that evening, according to the balloon team’s measurement of upper winds.

“We were trying to launch it sooner, but the winds have been too strong,” said Howard Sugiuchi. “We don’t want to drive 250 miles to get this thing when it comes down.”

Howard explained the on-board GPS device would send them location coordinates every 10 minutes. To further expedite their search for the balloon, they attached an audio device that would begin beeping upon landing.

Howard said his son wanted to launch the weather balloon to provide the students with a kinesthetic and visual approach to the school’s Science Technology Engineering Mathematics, or STEM, curriculum.

“Experiences like this are what kids will remember,” he said.

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